Wednesday, March 8, 2023
7PM–9PM (EST)
In-person and online.
In-person at SVI - St. Volodymyr Institute
620 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON
Donations to support cultural programming at St. Volodymyr Institute are appreciated.
Presented by:
A lively panel discussion celebrating International Women’s Day with successful Ukrainian Canadian entrepreneurs. Join this discussion about the challenges and gains of women in business and the role their Ukrainian Canadian heritage has had in their journey. A networking reception will follow. All are welcome.
Moderator:
ULIANA TOMIUK
– Connor, Clark & Lunn Private Capital Ltd.
– President of the Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Association of Toronto
Panelists:
Maria Janchenko
– Janchenko’s BakerySophia Pierro
– Present Day Gifts
– Baa BaazaarIvanka Siolkowsky
– The Tidy MooseKatherine Vellinga
– Zirkova Vodka
MEET THE PANEL:
Uliana Tomiuk (Moderator)
Connor, Clark & Lunn Private Capital Ltd.
As a wealth advisor, Uliana Tomiuk introduces affluent Canadians and their families, as well as foundations and other not for profit organizations, to CC&L Private Capital’s discretionary wealth management services, providing a confident approach to guiding clients towards achieving their long-term financial goals. She advises SVI on management of its investments towards future growth.
Uliana has more than eighteen years of experience in the financial industry. Prior to joining Connor, Clark & Lunn Private Capital, she worked for a number of investment managers in retail sales, most recently with BlackRock in Toronto. Additionally, she has experience in project management and in marketing discretionary investment solutions for clients.
Uliana grew up in Ottawa and is a graduate of the University of Ottawa with a B.Comm. She also holds an MBA from the University of Western Ontario and is CFA charterholder.
In her spare time, Uliana enjoys traveling, cooking, skiing and is an avid reader. Uliana is currently President of the Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Association of Toronto. She was previously a member of the Desna Ukrainian Dance Company of Toronto and served on their Board and as President, performing locally and travelling with the company to Ukraine for workshops.
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Maria Janchenko
Janchenko’s Bakery
Maria was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the last of five daughters to WWII Displaced Persons from Belarus and Ukraine. She moved to Toronto in 1997 to complete a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, Global Politics and Russian Language and Literature at the University of Toronto, and a Postgraduate Broadcast Journalism degree at Ryerson University.
She worked as a print and TV journalist for the Moscow Times Business Review Magazine in Russia, the Toronto Star, CityTV and CP24, and CBS News New York during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and freelanced to the Globe and Mail before switching to government communications and issues management work for the Ontario Government. She worked as a Strategic Communications Advisor and Senior Policy Advisor at multiple ministries for over 12 years. In 2017, Maria resigned her position to pursue her passion for baking and serving up Eastern European comfort food, and created Janchenko’s Bakery in Bloor West Village.
About Janchenko’s Bakery
Janchenko’s is a traditional Eastern European bakery inspired by Maria’s family's old-world food philosophy and recipes. Classic flavours and old-fashioned comfort food created just as they would make it at home for family and friends – with real, top-quality wholesome ingredients served with as much love and care as possible. Their large selection of artisanal pastries, cakes, cookies and breads are baked fresh every morning. They also carry a small selection of Ukrainian products and a variety of frozen varenyky.
Forever inspired by simple sweet things, their mission is to bridge the old world with the new, to present timeless favourites in new and stunning ways, and explore new flavours using proven traditional techniques. They are absolutely devoted to making all their tortes, pies, cookies, cakes and many other sweet creations taste as good as they look.
Janchenko’s is the evolution and reinvention of a European bakery that’s been in the same location for over 60 years. They continue to honour and build on that tradition. The bakery’s team is a mix of Slavic people including Ukrainian, Belarusian and Polish bakers. Together they offer some of their favourite hot and cold foods from Eastern European cultures.
Find out more: janchenkobakery.com | instagram | facebook
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Sophia Pierro
Present Day Gifts / Baa Baazaar
Sophia Pierro (née Sophia Freishyn-Chirovsky) was born in Chicago. As a young child she moved with her family to Ottawa when her father, Father Andriy Chirovsky, founded the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies. She grew up in the small, yet vibrant Ukrainian community in Ottawa taking part in PLAST scouting and Ukrainian school.
After high school, Sophia moved to Toronto to study film and worked in the Canadian film industry for 10 years, eventually becoming one of the youngest set decorators in the city. While seeking out pieces for the films and tv shows she was working on, Sophia kept finding unique and beautiful local goods made by highly skilled craftspeople and artisans. Noticing a gap in the market for modern, well-designed gifts, she put her refined and practical design sensibilities, and her wealth of resources, towards building Present Day. In 2017 she fully left the film industry to start a family and continue Present Day's growth.
In 2021, Sophia decided to go back to what she loves best – sourcing beautiful and unique items for interior spaces. Along with one of her closest friends, she opened her second business – Baa Baazaar, a whimsical and unique home goods shop in Toronto's west end. Baa Baazaar showcases Sophia's love of traditional handicrafts, folk design and whimsy (all influenced by her Ukrainian heritage and culture). She now runs both businesses and, along with her husband Michael, has a 4 year old daughter and 2 very fluffy white rescue cats.
About Present Day Gifts
Created by Sophia Pierro, Present Day Gifts is Toronto's first curated and customizable gift box service with a modern edge and a strong focus on locally made goods. Since 2015, Present Day has grown to be one of the pre-eminent gifting destinations for personal and corporate gifts in Toronto and Canada. Let the Present Day team help you give a meaningful, unique gift to everyone on your list, no matter what the occasion.
About Baa Baazaar
Baa Baazaar is a space of whimsies and comforts where more is more and inspiration from the past is braided together with the freshness of the present. The objects in the shop are vibrant, eclectic and tell the story of their maker’s touch. With imaginative curation and humour, Baa Baazaar offers a fresh perspective on the nostalgic. This shop was made whole-heartedly and it just might make you feel like a kid again.
Present Day Gifts: presentdaygifts.ca | instagram | facebook
Baabaazaar: baabaazaar.com | instagram | facebook
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Ivanka Siolkowsky
The Tidy Moose
Ivanka is a former Elementary School Teacher whose life was transformed when she began learning the many benefits of minimalism and organization.
Although she was always considered a tidy individual, after decluttering, and applying minimalism to her surroundings, it was as if the pieces of Ivanka's life puzzle all fell into place. Not only is her living space in order, she has a new found inner peace, and is able to recognize the things in her life that truly matter.
It is because of these life-altering improvements that Ivanka decided to become a full-time Professional Organizer helping others to find that same inner peace in their daily lives.
Ivanka also put her Masters of Education, and child psychology knowledge to work in creating her own children’s organization program, "The Moose Method" – for homes and classrooms. This program is aimed at helping children declutter their minds in order to prepare them for proper learning and development.
Ivanka recently returned from 10 months in Ukraine, where she volunteered on the front lines of the war, aiding in humanitarian deliveries and assisting with evacuations.
About The Tidy Moose
Ivanka not only shares the knowledge and skills of organizing but also helps clients identify what they value in life through the process of organizing and decluttering. The Tidy Moose conducts private organizing sessions for both individual and group clients: homes, offices, businesses, and schools.
Ivanka coaches and supports clients in completely organizing their space, creating their ideal oasis, while being fully aware that organizing one’s space is a very personal issue. What is a client’s ideal space? When considered at the deepest level, it translates into, “How does one want to live his or her life?” In understanding the true desires of the client, Ivanka is a partner in the process of achieving this ideal by using several different methods catering to the client's needs, including her own Moose Method for Children, minimalism, and the KonMari Method of organization (under which she is fully certified).
Tidy Moose: tidymoose.com | instagram | facebook
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Katherine Vellinga
Zirkova Vodka
A proud Canadian-Ukrainian, Katherine Vellinga is CEO and Co-founder and inspiration behind Zirkova Vodka - an ultra-premium spirit made in Ukraine with a uniquely Canadian flare. Katherine’s journey into the world of fine spirits began when a decision to move to Ukraine in 1997 brought her to discovering the birthplace of vodka in the Cherkasy region. Katherine knew then that her calling was to bridge her homeland of Canada with her beloved Ukrainian roots, and so she along with her husband John brought the Zirkova brand to life, bringing the best spirits to the rest of the world. Her mission is rooted in family, friends, food, and the magic that happens around a table.
Katherine’s passion doesn’t end at spirits, as she has helped raise over $400,000 for numerous human rights and charitable organizations and has been featured on CTV, CHCH, Newstalk 1010, iHeartRadio and others. Profiled by the LCBO as a “Woman in Spirits”, Katherine lives in Oakville with her husband John, who has been her life and business partner throughout this journey, and their two children.
About Zirkova Vodka
Zirkova Vodka’s story starts in Cherkasy, Ukraine, the geographic birthplace of vodka. The factory in which Zirkova is produced was built in 1896 in the village of Zolotonosha. This location allows us to take advantage of the perfect source of artesian mineral water – the foundation of any great vodka.
Katherine and John Vellinga, Co-founders of Zirkova Vodka, partnered with one of the world’s foremost vodka masters, chief technologist, Ludmilla Petrivna. Ludmilla holds a PhD in the art and science of vodka making and together they created the two unique blends of vodka that are known today as Zirkova One and Zirkova Together.
Zirkova Vodka: zirkova.com | instagram | facebook
back to top^The views expressed by the speakers are their own and do not represent SVI or their respective employers.
Technical Production by Fatsound Canada
Livestream by Dream Arts Video Production
Snacks by Marc Bennett and team
Buckweat tea provided by Olha Andrenyuk from Health Mode
While participation is free, DONATIONS are appreciated to support continued cultural programming at St. Volodymyr Institute.
St. Volodymyr Institute gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce, Shevchenko Foundation, Ukrainian Canadian Veterans Fund, the SUS Foundation of Canada, and Delta Bingo & Gaming.
Інститут св. Володимира висловлює подяку Канадсько-українська торгова палата, Фонду Українсько-Канадських Ветеранів при Фундації ім. Т. Шевченкa, ,Фундації СУС в Канаді i Delta Bingo & Gaming за фінансову підтримку культурних програм.
